I haven’t painted a picture since November (it is the end of January as I write this) and I’ve barely drawn much more than sketches of people in cafes since November.
Affectionately known as ‘Costa Coffee Man’
However, I’ve done an awful lot of reading and thinking and writing about thinking and thinking about writing, and then reading about thinking. This doesn’t seem quite right to me and I am starting to suffer from withdrawal symptoms.
The last painting I did
I do enjoy thinking and reading and I love writing, and indeed writing about thinking. But this isn’t making art.
I am now in my second year of the Foundation Degree in Contemporary Art Practice at Shrewsbury College and the course is fantastic (in fact the best decision I have made for years has been to do this course) but so far this year I feel as if I’ve spent much less time creating than I have discussing creating.
This naturally got me thinking about ‘proper’ artists and wondering how much time they have to spend on thinking and writing but also on administration, marketing, promotion, and DIY (drilling in mirror plates to paintings, for example). I suspect that real proper grown up artists out there in the real world don’t spent their time sitting in coffee shops thinking about their next art piece, they spend their time being marketing managers and secretaries. I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I’d rather spend my non-painting and drawing time sitting in the Shrewsbury Coffee House dreaming and drinking Americanos.
My current addiction: looking arty and sipping coffee
Perhaps I need a reality check, that is, after a quick coffee in town.